Okay, Kris is that good for you too? will watch Expedia for best rate at either place. Do either of you have a preference? Looks like Ramada is a little cheaper, they are in the $100 to $130 range (plus the taxes, etc) Both have breakfast of a sort so we can load up on calories before Gini and Jacy pick us up! If the weather is good you all can just strap me to the hood or the bed of the truck. ; - 0

Kris and Nana, the Ramada is about $86 plus tax (about $33 each) and no breakfast (but they have 3 restaurants per their Website. Wyndham is about $30 (about $45 ea) more and includes breakfast. Don't know if the rates will be the same tomorrow so let me know as soon as possible. Both have free airport shuttle too so if you get in late they'll pick you up.

Elizabeth

From Sunny Southern CA

Hi Elizabeth, we are flying into Spokane. At the time I booked my flights it was cheaper and the connection to Leavenworth was better (and we were able to "thumb" a ride from some great passersby) Can you believe its almost here!

It doesn't matter to me. As long as I can get a cup of coffee it doesn't really matter about breakfast...LOL> Just go with whichever you want. I will be so excited that I could probably just hunker down in the airport parking lot...LOL

Kris and Nana are we still on for sharing a hotel room? Let me know if you want me to send my share to you (whoever makes the reservation) or settle up at the hotel. I am happy either way. what time do your flights arrive in Spokane?

I'm still in Maggie. My current itinerary says I'll arrive at 1600. It has changed often since I booked the flight. I'll update just before D-Day.

I'm OK with anything. I'm not much of a breakfast eater. A cup of tea would suffice.

Maggie, they won't let your daughter close enough to you to hand off your things. We have to go through a security guy with our tickets before we get to the scanner stuff.

You will only need the small green bias gadget.

I am such a flight virgin. The last time i flew the pilot was some guy named Wright.

Maggie, I can hardly wait to meet you. You, like Gini and Nana, always make me laugh. I am WAY too serious. And as you can tell, everyone at the retreat are great folks. I can't wait to see everyone. And show off my new skills, which isn't really saying much as last year I had no skills, lol. :-)

Although the TSA rules state you can take a scissors in your carry-on with a blade less than 4 inches in length, it doesn't always work that way.

Right now on eBay, there are over 30 photos and auctions of TSA confiscated scissors. (See photo below.) They run these auctions all the time. Below is one fairly typical photo. As you can see, it appears that they did seize embroidery scissors with blades less than 4 inches in length.

So, rules may be rules, but I surely would not stand there and start to argue with a TSA screening person. That can result in further travel complications. Just be a passive little passenger when you go through their lines and don't complain about anything.

They were right, you go through the "passengers only" ticket line a long distance away from going through the TSA security lines. You won't be within reach of any non-passenger (your daughter) to pass anything back. So, you take a chance on forfeiting anything you try to take on the plane. If TSA takes it, you won't get it back -- ever. IT's just gone. So, I would recommend you put any sharps (needles, scissors, rotary cutters etc.) in your checked baggage and do not carry it with you through security and into the plane. If you are not going to have checked baggage and need to get something to the quilting site, you could mail a package ahead of time.

Remember also the amount of "liquid" you can take is very limited as well -- only 3 ounces combined total. It has to be separated out in zip lock baggies and declared when you go through security. Even a bottle of make-up or face cream counts as liquid! All gels are liquid. I usually put those items in the mail or plan on stopping by a drug store and buying shampoo, creme rinse and other liquid items I need when I arrive at my travel destination. Then, I pitch them before I leave. Wasteful? Yes. Not my rules though.

Thanks for the information Quiltless. I see Leavenworth has a post office so maybe I'll buy a couple of priority mail "all you can stuff" stamps and mail scissors, needles, etc. ahead of time, and then mail them back after the retreat. I'll check with Mrs. Anderson's and see if they'll accept a small box for me or if I should mail to the Leavenworth post office to hold for pick up. Those little scissors are an investment and I'd hate to give them up. Thinking that maybe I'll try a small cheap pair of scissors and one needle, etc. in my carryon in case I want to do some applique on the plane or hotel on Saturday before Kris and Nana get there.

I noticed there is a grocery store in walking distance too for all those little incidentals like sodas, snax, snax, snax, sodas : - )